Biochemistry, B.S.
Saint Louis University
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Saint Louis University's Bachelor of Science in biochemistry is designed for students interested in the applications of chemistry to the life sciences. The program prepares students for professional schools such as medicine, dentistry, law and pharmacy. The program provides excellent preparation for students interested in working in biochemistry, molecular biology or biotechnology.
The chemistry department at Saint Louis University places great emphasis on participation in undergraduate research, and majors have ample opportunities to involve themselves in research projects under the close mentorship of a full-time faculty member. Students have the opportunity to use a variety of specialized equipment and computers in their instructional and research laboratories.
The department hosts several social events each year and sponsors a chemistry club for interested students.
Other highlights include:
Selected undergraduate students may have opportunities to work with faculty members as laboratory assistants in undergraduate laboratories and receive a stipend.
Benefits of SLU's biochemistry program also include many internship and career opportunities. Undergraduates who study chemistry at SLU can attend professional meetings and present their research results. In recent years, SLU students have presented numerous talks and poster presentations at regional and national meetings of the American Chemical Society and other scientific conferences.
Career options in biochemistry include:
A Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry is good preparation for students who want to continue their education in graduate school studying chemistry, biochemistry and health-related areas such as pharmacology and toxicology, as well as in professional school studying medicine, law, pharmacy or dentistry.
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply. Saint Louis University also accepts the Common App.
All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory course work is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.
To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, the applicant must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, undergraduate applicants will not be required to submit standardized test scores (ACT or SAT) in order to be considered for admission. Applicants will be evaluated equally, with or without submitted test scores.
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply.
Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED. An official high school transcript and official test scores are required only of those students who have attempted fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit. Those having completed 24 or more of college credit need only submit a transcript from previously attended college(s). In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the office of admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University.
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply.
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by Dec. 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit the student financial services office online at https://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.
The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry has been continuously certified by the American Chemical Society since 2004.
Biochemistry students must complete a minimum total of 72 credits for the B.S. major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirement | ||
| College core requirements | 54-63 | |
| For additional information about core courses | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| BIOL 1240 & BIOL 1245 | General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution and Principles of Biology I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 1260 & BIOL 1265 | General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter and Principles of Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 3030 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 1130 & CHEM 1115 | General Chemistry 1 for Majors and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 1140 & CHEM 1125 | General Chemistry 2 for Majors and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 2200 & CHEM 2205 | Analytical Chemistry 1 and Analytical Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 2430 & CHEM 2435 | Organic Chemistry 1 for Majors and Organic Chemistry 1 Lab for Majors | 4 |
| CHEM 2440 & CHEM 2445 | Organic Chemistry 2 for Majors and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory for Majors | 4 |
| CHEM 3100 | The Chemical Literature | 1 |
| CHEM 3970 | Undergraduate Research † | 3 |
| CHEM 3330 & CHEM 3345 | Physical Chemistry 1 and Physical Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 3340 | Physical Chemistry 2 | 3 |
| CHEM 4500 | Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 4610 & CHEM 4615 | Biochemistry 1 and Biochemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 4620 & CHEM 4625 | Biochemistry 2 and Biochemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 4000 Elective | 3 | |
| MATH 1510 | Calculus I § | 4 |
| MATH 1520 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 1610 & PHYS 1620 | Engineering Physics I and Engineering Physics I Laboratory ठ| 4 |
| PHYS 1630 & PHYS 1640 | Engineering Physics II and Engineering Physics II Laboratory ‡ | 4 |
| General Electives | 2 | |
| Total Credits | 120-127 | |
| † | Students take 3 semesters, 1 credit per semester |
| ‡ | Engineering Physics I and II with lab are recommended for majors unless they are pre-medical. Physics I and II with lab PHYS 1310 Physics I, PHYS 1320 Physics I Laboratory, PHYS 1330 Physics II, and PHYS 1340 Physics II Laboratory also fulfill the physics requirement and are recommended for pre-medical students. |
| § | In addition to the major this course fulfills the A&S college core requirements |
All undergraduate majors must complete an exit interview with the department chair during their final semester.
The following standards apply to all new freshmen and transfer students:
Students who do not earn a C- in any of the identified courses must retake the course at SLU in the following semester. If a C- is not earned on the second attempt the student will be dismissed from the major. A student who withdraws from one of these courses on the first attempt thus has one more attempt to earn a C-.
Students must maintain a 2.00 GPA in their major (CHEM) and required related courses (BIOL, PHYS, MATH, etc.) If a student falls below a 2.00 major GPA the student must meet with the undergraduate program director to review their academic performance. If the student cannot raise the major GPA to 2.00 in two semesters, the student will be dismissed from the major.
Bachelor of Science Core Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Components and Credits | ||
| Foundations of Discourse | 3 | |
| Diversity in the U.S. | 3 | |
| Global Citizenship | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 0-6 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Literature | 6 | |
| Mathematics | 4 | |
| Science | 8 | |
| Philosophy | 6 | |
| Social Science | 6 | |
| Theology | 6 | |
| World History | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 54-60 | |
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CHEM 1130 | General Chemistry 1 for Majors | 3 |
| CHEM 1115 | General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH 1510 | Calculus I | 4 |
| BIOL 1240 | General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution | 3 |
| BIOL 1245 | Principles of Biology I Laboratory | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 1140 | General Chemistry 2 for Majors | 3 |
| CHEM 1125 | General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH 1520 | Calculus II | 4 |
| BIOL 1260 | General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter | 3 |
| BIOL 1265 | Principles of Biology II Laboratory | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 2430 | Organic Chemistry 1 for Majors | 3 |
| CHEM 2435 | Organic Chemistry 1 Lab for Majors | 1 |
| CHEM 2200 | Analytical Chemistry 1 | 2 |
| CHEM 2205 | Analytical Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 2 |
| PHYS 1610 | Engineering Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS 1620 | Engineering Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 2440 | Organic Chemistry 2 for Majors | 3 |
| CHEM 2445 | Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory for Majors | 1 |
| PHYS 1630 | Engineering Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS 1640 | Engineering Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 4610 | Biochemistry 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 4615 | Biochemistry 1 Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 3330 | Physical Chemistry 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 3100 | The Chemical Literature | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 4620 | Biochemistry 2 | 3 |
| CHEM 4625 | Biochemistry 2 Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 3340 | Physical Chemistry 2 | 3 |
| CHEM 3345 | Physical Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 3970 | Undergraduate Research | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 3970 | Undergraduate Research | 1 |
| BIOL 3030 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 4500 | Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| Completion of Exit Interview | ||
| Completion of Undergraduate Thesis | ||
| CHEM 4XXX | Elective | 3 |
| CHEM 3970 | Undergraduate Research | 1 |
| A&S Core | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Engineering Physics (PHYS 1610 Engineering Physics I (3 cr)-PHYS 1640 Engineering Physics II Laboratory (1 cr)) is recommended. However, Physics (PHYS 1310 Physics I (3 cr)-PHYS 1340 Physics II Laboratory (1 cr)) also fulfills the physics requirement.